Shadows Fall is an American heavy metal band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1996. Although Shadows Fall has experienced several line-up changes, for most of its recording career, Shadows Fall has been composed of guitarists Jonathan Donais and Matt Bachand, bassist Paul Romanko, lead vocalist Brian Fair and drummer Jason Bittner.
Shadows Fall has released seven studio albums, three compilation albums and two DVDs. The band's first album featured Philip Labonte (of All That Remains) on lead vocals, but he was soon replaced by Fair. Shadows Fall's first two studio albums featured David Germain playing drums; however, in 2002, Bittner joined the band full-time. The band are a two-time Grammy Award nominee in the category Best Metal Performance for their songs "What Drives the Weak" and "Redemption". Their most recent studio album Fire from the Sky was released on May 15, 2012 and was the first to be produced by Adam Dutkiewicz since the band's first studio release.
Shadows Fall announced in August 2014 that they were going to go on an indefinite hiatus, and by the following summer, they had wrapped up what was planned to be their farewell tour. The band reunited for its first show in six years in December 2021 in their native Massachusetts, and discussed the possibility of recording new material. In 2024, they released new material for the first time in twelve years, with a single titled "In the Grey."
History Formation and Somber Eyes to the Sky (1996–1997) Shadows Fall was formed in 1996 by guitarists Jonathan Donais and Matt Bachand, who were good friends from the local music scene. Bachand had previously been a founding member of a death metal band and Donais a member of the metalcore band Aftershock. Later on, the band found a complete lineup with the addition of Damien McPherson (vocals), Mark Laliberte (bass), and David Germain (drums). Also in 1996, Adam Dutkiewicz performed live drums to fill in for Germain. By late 1996, the band recorded and released a demo titled Mourning a Dead World, of which only about 200 copies were produced. It consisted of the songs Lifeless, Suffer the Season, Fleshold, Forever Lost, A Souls Salvation, and Deadworld. McPherson decided to leave the band and was replaced by Philip Labonte in 1997. Around the same time, bass guitarist Paul Romanko, formally of the hardcore band Pushbutton Warfare, was recruited as a permanent replacement for Laliberte, who had originally joined temporarily."Shadows Fall 'The rebel becomes the next oppressor'" . Hardtimes.ca. Retrieved on May 10, 2012. Now with a more solid lineup, the band released its first EP, To Ashes, with Dutkiewicz playing as a session drummer. The band's name, according to Bachand, comes from the title of a comic book published in the early 1990s.
Shadows Fall toured the New England area opening for artists such as Fear Factory and Cannibal Corpse. On November 30, 1997, the band released its first studio album Somber Eyes to the Sky through Bachand's recording label, Lifeless Records.
Of One Blood (1998–2000)
In 1998, Labonte was asked to leave the band due to personal and artistic differences."Phil Labonte of All That Remains Tells the Truth: 'Shadows Fall Asked Me to Leave'" . Buzznet. Retrieved on May 10, 2012. He had ideas for a side project while a member of the band and went on to form All That Remains."Shadows Fall Profile" . About.com. Retrieved on May 10, 2012."Phil Labonte - All That Remains, Shadows Fall". metalfanatix.com. Retrieved on May 10, 2012. The band searched for a replacement vocalist and eventually recruited Milford, Massachusetts native Brian Fair from Overcast."Shadows Fall/Overcast Vocalist Brian Fair: The Metalsucks Interview". MetalSucks. Retrieved on May 10, 2012. The band had been friends with Fair for years. After a US Summer tour with Shai Hulud, Overcast disbanded—and the band asked Fair to join Shadows Fall.
In a 2007 interview with Blabbermouth.net Labonte commented on his departure from the band stating
While on tour, Shadows Fall was signed to Century Media Records. The band recorded its second studio album Of One Blood with Fair on vocals in 2000, and the release included re-recorded songs from Somber Eyes to the Sky. That same year, the group started to tour heavily for the first time and took part in the “International Extreme Music Festival” tour. In 2001, David Germain decided to leave the band due to alcoholism, and was replaced by former Stigmata and Burning Human drummer Jason Bittner.Jaya the Cat Official Website David Germain bio "I wasn't happy and started drinking way to much which effected my playing, so eventually we all decided it was time for me to go."
The Art of Balance (2001–2003) Due to repeated comparisons with Gothenburg melodic death metal bands, Shadows Fall decided to change its style. Inspired by more thrash, hard rock and power ballad influences, the band recorded its third studio album, titled The Art of Balance. Released on September 17, 2002, the album peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Top Independent albums chart. Shadows Fall released three music videos to promote the album; "Thoughts Without Words", "Destroyer of Senses", and "The Idiot Box". The Art of Balance featured a cover of the Pink Floyd song "Welcome to the Machine." Andy Hinds of AllMusic stated the album is "a modern heavy metal album that is both brutal and highly musical, traditional yet forward-thinking", but criticized the placement of "Welcome to the Machine", stating the song "is stylishly well-executed, but seems a tad out of place nonetheless." Shadows Fall supported The Art of Balance by touring on Ozzfest in 2003. During their time at Ozzfest they were dubbed as the breakout band of the year and consistently sold more records every week than the other side-stage bands. Later that same year, they co-headlined the “MTV2 Headbangers Ball” tour alongside Killswitch Engage and Lamb of God. From September to October of that year they took part in the "Take Action" tour with bands such as Avenge Sevenfold and Poison the Well.
The Art of Balance helped gain the band their first bit of notoriety, and during this period the group was named one of Top Five Bands in Metal Today by Alternative Press, also being voted Best New Talent in a Revolver readers poll beating out both Evanescence and Lamb of God.
The War Within (2004–2006) The band were selected to headline the first Strhess tour in early 2004. Shadows Fall then released its fourth studio album The War Within on September 21, 2004. It was the first release to enter the Billboard 200 for the band at number 20 and peaked at number one on the Top Independent albums chart. In promotion for the album, Shadows Fall released four music videos over the course of one year; "The Power of I and I", "What Drives the Weak", "Inspiration on Demand", and "Enlightened By the Cold". The albums two Singles What Drives the Weak" and "Inspiration on Demand" both became the bands first songs to reach the US Mainstream Rock chart both reaching the top 40.
The song "What Drives the Weak" garnered the band their first Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal Performance in 2006 at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards, though the award went to Slipknot for the song "Before I Forget". "The Light That Blinds" was featured in the video game Guitar Hero II. Wade Kergan of AllMusic praised the album stating the band has "grown beyond the confines of the metal-loving hardcore crowd anyway, with more in common now with the classic thrash of Metallica than the metal-tinged hardcore of Coalesce". A reviewer for Ultimate Guitar game the album a 10/10 stating “This album in one day changed the way that I personally look at metal. I knew this record had potential to be great and I was right.”
Later that year, they embarked on a tour alongside Damageplan in support of The War Within. In 2005, the band once again performed on Ozzfest, but this time as a mainstage act which made them the first New Wave of American Heavy Metal band to achieve the honor. They also toured alongside Slipknot and Lamb of God for a U.S. arena tour in March. They were dubbed the "Band To Watch In 2005" by Spin magazine. Shadows Fall released its first DVD The Art of Touring in November 2005. The DVD included a live concert, backstage footage, and six music videos.
In December 10, 2005, Shadows Fall signed a deal with Atlantic Records.
The band released, titled Fallout from the War on June 13, 2006 through Century Media Records. Released as a compilation album, it debuted at number 83 on the Billboard 200. Fallout from the War included tracks recorded for The War Within that did not make it on to the album, B-sides, re-recordings, and cover songs. David Jeffries of AllMusic claimed the album is "a great informal introduction to the ferocious and melodic witches' brew Shadows Fall always seems to nail." They then headlined the Strhess tour once again with Poison the Well providing support.
During this time Shadows Fall were also invited to WWE headquarters to rework entrance theme song of WWE superstar Rob Van Dam, titled Fury of the Storm. Van Dam never used the song however it did appear on the WWE Wreckless Intent album. They also contributed to the God of War II Official Soundtrack with the song "Blood of Destiny.”
Threads of Life (2007–2008) The band released its fifth studio album Threads of Life on April 3, 2007 through Atlantic Records and debuted at number 46 on the Billboard 200 selling 24,000 copies in its first week. "Redemption", the first single from the CD was released on February 20, 2007, through iTunes with an accompanying music video. "Redemption" received the band’s second Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal performance at 50th Annual Grammy Awards, but Slayer's "Final Six" won the award. The album received positive reviews, with Thom Jurek of AllMusic stating Shadows Fall has "lost none of the fire, attack or attitude" on Threads of Life. Jurek also said the album featured "killer guitar breaks, big fat chugging riffs, power-slam skin work, cattle prod bass, and cool little hooks and melodic touches on top of those bludgeoning riffs make Threads of Life a major label debut of merit, and a metal record worthy of celebrating." However prior to album’s release the band’s biggest supporters at Atlantic, including their A&R man, were laid off by the record company. Leading the band to not get much attention from the label afterwards. Atlantic then wanted the bands follow up release to be more commercial, but after they refused they were let go by the label.
Shadows Fall toured in support of Threads of Life, including making appearances at the Jägermeister tour with Stone Sour and Lacuna Coil, the Operation Annihilation tour with Static-X, 3 Inches of Blood and Divine Heresy, and the Black Crusade tour with Trivium, Machine Head, DragonForce, and Arch Enemy. On October 23, 2007, Shadows Fall released a greatest hits album titled Seeking the Way: The Greatest Hits. The band was a part of the Soundwave tour in Australia and in Asia in February 2008, along with Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying and Bleeding Through.
Retribution (2009–2011)